Dont be disappointed if your score is less than perfect.
This food safety stuff is tough. Thats why weve done a lot of
explaining in the answers. Just trying to figure out why its c
and not a should help you eat more safely. So close your books,
tear up your cheat sheets - and no talking. (Theres only one correct
answer for each question.)

You cant get food poisoning if you thoroughly cook your food and eat it promptly.

b. falseSome bacteria can produce dangerous toxins that arent destroyed even by thorough cooking. Whats more, cooked food can become contaminated if it comes in contact with an unwashed utensil, dish, countertop, or hand that was used to prepare tainted uncooked food. back

d. all of the aboveSalmonella can cause rheumatoid arthritis, E. coli O157:H7 can cause kidney disease, and Campylobacter or ciguatera (the most common poisoning from finfish) can cause nerve damage. back

d. any of the aboveFood poisoning is most likely to strike from two hours to two days after eating. But some toxins in fish work within minutes, while botulism could take up to a week. back

e. any of the aboveBloody diarrhea or pus in the stool is the classic sign of an
E. coli O157:H7 infection. Headache, stiff neck, plus a fever may be a sign of Listeria monocytogenes infection. Unrelenting diarrhea could lead to life-threatening dehydration. Weakness, numbness, or tingling could be a sign of botulism or food poisoning from tainted seafood. back

b. heavy antacid usersStomach acid helps destroy bacteria, so people who regularly take antacids or drugs like Tagamet or Zantac are more likely to get food poisoning than people who take them sporadically or not at all. back

a. as few as half a dozenIt doesnt take much Salmonella to make you ill. The ice cream that made 224,000 people sick in 41 states in 1994 contained only about six Salmonella bacteria in each serving. back

d. all of the aboveWhile ground beef is the most common source of E. coli poisoning, apples and lettuce that are contaminated with animal manure also have been linked to outbreaks. back

a. true More than 10 percent of all bottled water started its journey to your glass from some tap. Of course, that doesnt mean its more or less likely to contain contaminants. back

b. falseNo federal agency approves water-treatment units. But filters that use silver must register with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Thats all the "approval" means. back

a. the internal temperature reaches 160°FE. coli is destroyed at 160°F, and the only way to be certain is to use a quick-reading thermometer. New research suggests that when the pink color disappears and the juices run clear, the meat may still not be hot enough to kill E. coli. back

c. 325°FNever cook dishes that contain meat or poultry at less than 325°F. At oven temperatures below 325°F, the internal temperature of the food can take too long to reach 140°F. Thats the top of what the U.S. Department of Agriculture calls the "Danger Zone". Below 140°F, any bacteria can double in number in as little as 20 minutes. And those bacteria can produce toxins that arent killed by heat. back

d. before broiling or grilling the chicken, pre-cook it in a microwave for a few minutes and pour off the juices Microwaving chicken for two to five minutes and then discarding the juice can reduce HCAs by 90 percent. Marinating (and discarding the marinade can also reduce HCAs. HCAs are potentially cancer-causing chemicals created when meat, poultry, and fish are cooked at high temperatures. back

b. Salmonella and CampylobacterSalmonella and Campylobacter cause 80 percent of all food poisoning illnesses‹and 75 percent of all deaths‹from contaminated meat and poultry. And most of the damage comes from poultry. An estimated one in every four chickens sold in the U.S. is contaminated with Salmonella, and as many as nine in every ten are contaminated with Campylobacter. back

c. either, as long as you keep it cleanBacteria cling to the surfaces of plastic boards, so they can easily rub off onto food. But plastic is easier to clean. With wooden boards, bacteria are absorbed down into the wood fiber and remain beneath the surface, away from food. But wood is harder to keep clean. The best advice: 1) keep a separate cutting board for meat and poultry, 2) keep your boards clean (put them in the dishwasher or scrub them regularly with a mild bleach solution), and 3) toss any board that has deep knife scars. back

f. none of the abovePrions are not destroyed by conventional cooking methods. So far, no cases of mad cow disease have been detected here. back

b. falseIrradiation doesnt eliminate the need for careful handling. It kills almost all bacteria, insects, and mold, but not what causes mad cow disease, botulism, or hepatitis. And irradiated meat can always become contaminated in the kitchen if its placed on a dirty cutting board or plate. back

f. you cant tellRoughly one out of every 10,000 eggs is contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. And they neednt be cracked, soiled, or unrefrigerated. If the ovaries of the hen that laid an egg were contaminated, Salmonella could have gotten into the egg before its shell formed. Thats why all raw eggs should be handled as if they were contaminated and should be cooked thoroughly... and why its no longer safe to lick the batter off the bowl or the spatula or your fingers. back

d. any of the aboveSalmonella and other bacteria are killed when poultry reaches 160°F. If youre cooking a whole chicken, all its meat should be at least 160°F when the thigh reaches 180°F. At that point the juices run clear and the leg moves easily in its socket. (Ground poultry needs to be cooked to at least 165°F.) back

a. lean ocean fish like cod, flounder, and haddockThe farther a fish is caught from the site of industrial discharges, the less likely it is to contain chemical residues. And leaner fish tend to be cleaner because many contaminants are stored in the fishs body fat. While farm-raised catfish often contain traces of DDT and canned tuna often contain traces of mercury, the tiny amounts are unlikely to be harmful. back

b. cooked their shellfish thoroughly Raw shellfish accounts for more than 90 percent of seafood poisoning cases. The most common culprit is Norwalk virus, which comes from human sewage. It causes nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, but most of the 100,000 or so people who are attacked each year recover within a day or two. Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium found mostly in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, is less common. But it still kills about a dozen people a year. back

b. two pounds a week To limit exposure to mercury, the FDA recommends that
1) women of childbearing age eat shark or swordfish no more than once a month, 2) everyone else eat no more than seven ounces of shark or swordfish a week, 3) everyone limit grouper, marlin, and orange roughy to 14 ounces a week, and 4) everyone limit total seafood consumption to no more than about two pounds a week. back

c. nausea, cramps, and diarrhea, followed by a "pins and needles" sensation around and inside the mouth and in the hands and feetIn addition to nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and a "pins and needles" sensation, ciguatera victims can experience "temperature reversals", where hot things feel cold and (more likely) cold things feel hot. Most ciguatera cases occur in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. Youre most likely to get it from eating contaminated barracuda, grouper, or red snapper. Most people recover after a few weeks, but one in 20 victims may suffer the aftereffects for two years or more. back

b. falseCeviche may taste delicious, but "cooking" by marinating doesnt kill all the harmful bacteria or parasites that the fish could contain. Neither does cutting up raw fish for sushi. back

c. about 50 percent Some 50 percent of fruits and vegetables tested by the FDA contain pesticide residues. Even worse, most of that 50 percent contains residues of more than one pesticide. back

c. theres not enough research to tellAccording to a recent study, washing produce with a mixture of water and a mild dishwashing detergent (like Palmolive combined with peeling carrots and the skins of fruits like apricots and pears and removing the outer leaves of lettuce and cabbage eliminated all pesticides in half of the fruits and vegetables that contained residues. So far, theres no good research on whether special fruit-and-vegetable washes work any better. back

a. trueForget what your mother told you. Its okay to re-freeze meat and poultry that was thawed in the refrigerator. Just dont let the food lie around in the fridge for more than a day or two before you re-freeze it. And dont expect re-frozen food to have the same taste or texture as food that was never frozen. back

a. in several shallow containersThe idea is to get leftovers cooled down below the USDAs "Danger Zone" (40°F - 140°F) as quickly as possible. Shallow containers do that best. back

a. shouldnt be sold Milk that has reached its expiration is still safe and nutritious, and probably wont go sour for another week or so. back

e. all of the aboveOlean reduces your bodys ability to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K. Thats why Procter & Gamble adds those vitamins to Olean. But the fake fat also interferes with the absorption of carotenoids like lutein and lycopene, which may help prevent cancer, stroke, and macular degeneration (the major cause of blindness in the elderly). And P&G doesnt add carotenoids to Olean. Olean also causes a variety of digestive problems. back

e. sugar or honeyYoure probably better off with a teaspoon of sugar or honey, though they provide empty calories and promote tooth decay. Acesulfame K and saccharin may slightly increase your risk of cancer. Your best bet in an artificial sweetener is aspartame or sucralose, though aspartame should be better tested. back

Whats Your Score?
Give yourself one point for each correct answer on this tough quiz.